What is the meaning of Psalm 71:7? I have become a portent to many • The psalmist looks back over a lifetime of very public ups and downs. His victories over Goliath, years of exile, throne, and family turmoil all put him on display so that others “watch” him (1 Corinthians 4:9). • A “portent” is a sign that makes people stop and wonder. Some saw him as divinely protected; others, like enemies in Psalm 31:11, thought he was cursed. Either way, his life was evidence that the Lord’s hand was at work (Isaiah 8:18; Lamentations 3:14). • By admitting he has become this living sign, he recognizes that God’s dealings with him are never private. They are meant to point observers toward the Lord who saves, disciplines, and sustains (Psalm 40:3). but You are my strong refuge • In contrast to the chatter of the crowd, the psalmist turns to the One who never changes. “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer” (Psalm 18:2). • “Strong refuge” pictures a mountain fortress—unassailable, permanent, and welcoming (Proverbs 18:10; Psalm 46:1). • He is not merely hiding; he is resting in a relationship secured by covenant love. Even in old age he can say, “You have been my hope, O Lord GOD, my confidence from my youth” (Psalm 71:5). • The testimony of God’s steadfast shelter ultimately eclipses whatever rumors or judgments swirl around him (Hebrews 6:18). summary The verse captures a tension every believer feels: life’s trials can turn us into public spectacles, yet each crisis is an invitation to lean harder on the Lord. People may label us curiosities, warnings, or wonders, but God remains our unshakeable refuge. Our stories, like the psalmist’s, become living billboards of His faithfulness, directing onlookers to the only safe shelter—the Lord Himself. |
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